Genesis 38:26

Genesis 38:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.
• New International Version (NIV)Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not sleep with her again.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Judah identified them and said, "She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not know her again.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again.

Context of Genesis 38:26

24About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has been acting like a prostitute. What’s more, because of it she’s pregnant.” Judah ordered, “Bring her out to be burned.” 25As she was brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law, “I’m pregnant by the man who owns these things. See if you recognize whose signet ring, cord, and shepherd’s staff these are.” Judah recognized them and said, “She’s not guilty. I am! She did this because I haven’t given her my son Shelah.” Judah never made love to her again. 27The time came for Tamar to give birth, and she had twin boys. 28When she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand. The midwife took a piece of red yarn, tied it on his wrist, and said, “This one came out first.”

Genesis 38:26 word by word

וַיַּכֵּ֣ר יְהוּדָ֗ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ צָֽדְקָ֣ה מִמֶּ֔נִּי כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֥ן לֹא־נְתַתִּ֖יהָ לְשֵׁלָ֣ה בְנִ֑י וְלֹֽא־יָסַ֥ף ע֖וֹד לְדַעְתָּֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• acknowledgedנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• She hath been more righteousצָדֵקtsâdaq · to justifyH6663
• than I; because that I gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• her not to Shelahשֵׁלָהshêlâh · ShelahH7956
• my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• And he knew herיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• againיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254

Cross-references for Genesis 38:26

• Genesis 37:33He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A wild animal has eaten him! Joseph must have been torn to pieces!”
• 1 Samuel 24:17He told David, “You are more righteous than I. You treated me well while I treated you badly.
• 2 Samuel 24:17When David saw the Messenger who had been killing the people, he said to the Lord, “I’ve sinned. I’ve done wrong. What have these sheep done? Please let your punishment be against me and against my father’s family.”
• Ezekiel 16:52You will have to suffer disgrace because you accused your sisters. Yet, your sins are more disgusting than theirs. They look like they are innocent compared to you. Be ashamed of yourself and suffer disgrace, because you have made your sisters look like they are innocent.
• Habakkuk 1:13Your eyes are too pure to look at evil. You can’t watch wickedness. Why do you keep watching treacherous people? Why are you silent when wicked people swallow those who are more righteous than they are?
• John 8:9One by one, beginning with the older men, the experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees left. Jesus was left alone with the woman.
• Romans 3:19We know that whatever the Scriptures say applies to everyone under their influence, and no one can say a thing. The whole world is brought under the judgment of God.
• Genesis 38:14she took off her widow’s clothes, covered her face with a veil, and disguised herself. Then she sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. (She did this because she realized that Shelah was grown up now, and she hadn’t been given to him in marriage.)
• Genesis 4:1Adam made love to his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have gotten the man that the Lord promised.”
• 2 Samuel 16:22So a tent was put up on the roof for Absalom, and he slept with his father’s concubines in plain sight of Israel.
• 2 Samuel 20:3When David came to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to look after the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them but no longer slept with them. So they lived like widows in confinement until they died.
• Job 4:5But trouble comes to you, and you’re impatient. It touches you, and you panic.
• Job 34:31“But suppose such a person says to God, ‘I am guilty, I will stop my immoral behavior.
• Job 40:5I spoke once, but I can’t answer— twice, but not again.”
• Matthew 3:8Do those things that prove you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act.
• Romans 13:12The night is almost over, and the day is near. So we should get rid of the things that belong to the dark and take up the weapons that belong to the light.

Commentaries on Genesis 38:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26She hath been more righteous than I - It is probable that Tamar was influenced by no other motive than that which was common to all the Israelitish women, the desire to have children who might be heirs of the promise made to Abraham, etc. And as Judah had obliged her to continue in her widowhood under the promise of giving her his son Shelah when he should be of age, consequently his refusing or delaying to accomplish this promise was a breach of truth…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-30Verses 1-30 - The Family of Judah 1. עדלם ‛ǎdûllâm Adullam, “righteousness.” חירה chı̂yrâh Chirah, “nobility?” 2. שׁוּע shûa‛ Shua, “luck, riches, cry.” 3. ער ‛êr Er, “watching.” 4. אונן 'ônân Onan, “strong.” 5. שׁלה shēlâh Shelah, “request? rest.” כזיב kezı̂yb Kezib, “falsehood.” 6. תמר tāmār Tamar, “palm.” 12. תמנה tı̂mnâh Timnah, “counted or assigned.” 14. עינים 'êynayı̂m Enaim, “two fountains.” 29. פרץ perets Perets, “breach.” This…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26She is more righteous than I: Judah admitted he had failed to provide an heir. It was wrong for Judah to visit a prostitute, but Tamar had a legal right to have Judah's child and acted on it. In the book of Ruth, the elders gave a similar blessing at the marriage of Boaz and Ruth. They prayed that God would make Ruth like Tamar (Ruth 4:12; compare Matthew 1:3, 5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-301. at that time--a formula frequently used by the sacred writers, not to describe any precise period, but an interval near about it.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 38:26

• Judah
• Shelah

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Lay
• Remain
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism
• Ben-Ammi
• Child; Children
• Genealogy
• Genesis

Commentaries on Genesis 38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings